If You Can't Beat 'em, Hire 'em

I stole my headline from a story in yesterday's Columbus Dispatch, which notes that Gov. Ted Strickland has eliminated two strong Republican candidates for House ...

I stole my headline from a story in yesterday's Columbus Dispatch, which notes that Gov. Ted Strickland has eliminated two strong Republican candidates for House seats by giving them government jobs.

Rep. Jim Raussen is going to the Department of Development, rather than defending his swing seat in Hamilton County, while Sen. Robert Spada, who was set to run for a Cuyahoga County House seat, has dropped out and is expected to get a state job as well.

I'm told by a source in Ohio that the announcement of a third Republican dropping out of a House race, due to Strickland's generous bipartisan hiring policies, will come tomorrow.

Democrats need to pick up four seats to take control of the chamber. They fell short last time, despite a Democratic tide that saw the election of Strickland and a near-sweep of the other statewide offices.

A strongly pro-Republican map preserved the GOP's hold on power in 2006. Countering that advantage this time around is the fact that 20 House Republicans are being term-limited out of office, against just six Democrats.

And of course it also helps to have your governor hiring away talent from the other team.